September 10, 2003

First Five

Well, my Nomad Zen NX arrived. Charged it, installed the software, then set out to pick the first five CDs to rip onto it. Though recognizing that this was a moment of some symbolic importance, I can’t say I really lingered too much over it. The thing’ll hold around 8000 tracks after all, and tomorrow’s another day. In any case, here’s what I picked:

  • Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation. The holy of holies.
  • Underworld, Everything Everything. The best techno disk I own. And it’s live to boot.
  • Mark Olson and The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers, My Own Jo Ellen. Mark Olsen used to sing with the Jayhawks. This is a solo effort, and as good and pretty as the name makes it sound.
  • R. L. Burnside, Burnside on Burnside. A live set from the guy who’s the rawest, heaviest blues artist still alive and recording (IMHO).
  • Radiohead, Hail to the Thief. Seemed obligatory.

The player sounds great, it fits right in my pocket, and other than a couple of minor start-up glitches seems to be doing just fine. I’ve been waiting for this a long time and I’m pretty stoked.

Posted by mgk at September 10, 2003 11:12 PM
Comments

hmm, why is it symbolic to you? the copying of digital information, the translation of format, the remediation? to me, it wasn't anything, it was like making a copy of a floppy and putting on my hd.

Posted by: jeremy hunsinger at September 10, 2003 11:31 PM | Link to Comment

I was being a little tongue in cheek. But as I begin migrating my (sizeable) CD collection over to the player, choices as to what to prioritize will take on some degree of significance.

Posted by: MGK at September 11, 2003 08:36 AM | Link to Comment

A bit nostalgic for the necessary selection inherent in a mixed tape?

I completely understand. I'm so nostalgic that I've oddly avoided the digital music revolution outside of a slight addiction to internet radio. Lisa has a MP3 player, but that gets used at the gym only...

But please continue to share some of your music favorites. Always looking to expand my CD collection...

Posted by: Jason at September 11, 2003 10:28 AM | Link to Comment

August 11, 2004. Sonic Youth at the 9:30 Club:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/04-07/16.shtml#story2

Posted by: George at July 17, 2004 08:42 PM | Link to Comment

_Very_ cool, thanks.

Posted by: MGK at July 17, 2004 09:21 PM | Link to Comment
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